Hynes to challenge Quinn in Dem primary

Illinois comptroller Dan Hynes will run for governor. He'll make a formal announcement in the near future. But on Thursday he began circulating petitions to get on the ballot.

The Hynes style is to be methodica. Andl he took another step toward what is now the inevitable formal announcement of a campaign for governor. He'll make the uphill fight to unseat an un-elected incumbent of his own party.

"I think that it's important that the Democratic party, as we nominate somebody, to have a choice," said Dan Hynes, (D) candidate for governor.

Hynes' handlers chose the Lincoln statue as the backdrop for the interview on the day that Illinois' three times elected chief financial officer told supporters he is running for governor to clean up the state's budget mess.

"We're suffering through one of the worst fiscal crisis in Illinois' history because of the bad practices of bad governors," said Hynes.

The 'bad governors,' according to Hynes, were Ryan and Blagojevich. Incumbent Pat Quinn, he says, is so indecisive and inconsistent there appears to be no solution to the state's multi-billion dollar deficit.

"What we expect from our governor is a steady hand and a consistent plan. And what we're getting instead is an ever-changing, ever-evolving plan under this current governor," said Hynes.

The 41-year-old Hynes ran for the U.S. Senate in 2004 and lost the primary to Barack Obama. He reportedly has $3.5 million campaign war chest and, unlike Quinn, has deep roots in the Cook County regular Democratic party. He says he's not worried about so dividing the party and making the governor's office vulnerable to a takeover by the Republicans.

"People are going to be paying attention. They've had enought. They are very frustrated. They've almost lost faith entirely with state government," said Hynes.

Like most everyone else in the Democratic party, Gov. Quinn has known for some time that Hynes would be a candidate. The governor has called the comptroller a 'no show' on important budget issues.

Another possible Democratic candidate is reported to be state Senate majority leader James Clayborne of downstate Belleville. He's a pro-gun rights, African-American Democrat. He was unavailable for comment on Thursday.